Slovakia: Sandor Marai Foundation
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From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Date: Mon, 4 Dec 2000 09:46:41 +0200 (EET)
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Subject: Slovakia: Sandor Marai Foundation
From: MINELRES moderator <[email protected]>
Original sender: Peter Huncik <[email protected]>
Slovakia: Sandor Marai Foundation
SANDOR MARAI FOUNDATION (SMF)
The Sándor Márai Foundation (SMF) was established in August 1990 in
Bratislava by liberally-oriented intellectuals. The main aim of the
SMF from the very beginning has been to support individual
initiatives, to promote the creation and consolidation of civic values
and facilitate the spacemaking of a European-style of thinking in
Slovakia, the Czech Republic and the whole region of Central and
Eastern Europe.
ACTIVITIES OF THE SMF - 1990-2000
1990
September 30th - conference on the theme of "Tragedy of Jewry in
Dunajská Streda." This was the first time that the Holocaust of the
Jewry in Czechoslovakia was spoken about in public.
1991
January 11-13 - a three-day conference on "Liberalism and Collective
Rights."
October 23-24 - conference on "Anatomy of Prejudice: Antisemitism in
Central Europe after the Holocaust."
1992
March 6-7 - conference "The Citizen in Central Europe".
1993
April 21-24 - International Journalism Seminar.
October 20-23 - "Life on the Ethnic Fault Lines" conference. Made
into a film by the BBC and Tamouz Media.
October 21-23 - seminar entitled "Dialog in Politics, Society,
Philosophy and Culture."
November 12 - conference in Komárno on the "Development of Regions."
1994
May - "Strengthening Democracy in Societies in Transition" - a series
of press conferences with Hungarian politicians.
September/October - conference on "Prostitution in the Postcommunist
Countries of Europe." Experts from Slovakia, the Czech Republic and
Hungary discussed the question of prostitution, related problems of
alcoholism, drugs, criminality, AIDS.
THE BEGINNING OF THE ETHNIC CONFLICT RESOLUTION PROJECT
August - Research completed on a three-year project on "Ethnic
Conflict Resolution." This research was based on extensive interviews
carried out by sociologists or psychologists with Slovaks living in
homogeneous regions. The results were presented at a two-day seminar
in Dunajská Streda and published in the book entitled "Counterproof"
in 1995.
1995
February-December - Slovak and Hungarian individuals were selected to
begin expert training in the SMF’s "Ethnic Conflict Resolution
Project". They were trained by the famous Semmelweis University School
of Medicine (SOTE) in Budapest.
November - "Discussion Club" where current economic and social
problems are discussed.
1996
February - the SMF began the "Ethnic Conflict Resolution (ECR)
Training" for public opinion leaders in local communities in Slovakia.
May - conference on the problems of the Roma population in Slovakia
December - The SMF organised a group of 22 well-known leaders of
public affairs to write and publish the Global Report on Slovakia. It
is the most comprehensive analysis of political, economic, and
cultural trends in Slovakia.
1997
April - the best-selling book about Slovakia, the "Global Report", was
translated into English.
1998
April – beginning of the project "Confidence Building in the
Carpathian Basin" supported by the Phare Democracy Program of the EC–
to improve interethnic relations throughout the Carpathian region
through training programs based on continuing information concerning
the core issues of inter-ethnic tensions in the region. It plans to
establish training centres in 3 countries - Slovakia, Hungary, and
Romania.
May – preparation for the elections / training sessions for candidates
of the Parliament and local governments.
1999
- continuation of two projects – Conflict Resolution Training
Confidence Building in the Carpathian Basin
- training sessions for mayors, local government representatives, and
policemen working with the Roma sponsored by the Office of the
Government of Slovakia
- training sessions for young Roma leaders sponsored by the Office of
the Government of Slovakia
- preparation of a long-term Roma project – solution of the problems
of the Roma population in Slovakia – meetings with the Roma, visit of
Roma settlements.
- TAS - Tension anticipation system – a book written by Peter Huncik
and Sandor Bordas (it was translated into Slovak and English
language)– summary of TAS:
SUMMARY
EARLYWARNING SYSTEM (EWS)
With the creation of the EWS we intend to develop a system that uses
standard study methods, providing fast, but exact results, and gives
valid results about the condition of the examined community by using
the smallest possible study sample.
Three diagnostic methods are included in the EWS:
– sociological,
– psychological,
– medical.
The EWS has to simulate the most important events in the society as
exactly as possible. In order to achieve this goal, we introduced the
so-called frustration interval in the examination. We conducted the
survey in 8 settlements in Slovakia: 4 Southern settlements (with
mixed population, but Hungarian majority) and 4 Northern settlements
(with Slovak population). In each settlement 12 persons participated
in the survey:
– 4 local opinion leaders (a mayor, a priesr, a school director, and a
doctor),
– each local opinion leader was asked to take along 2 persons
belonging to people close to him/her (colleagues, relatives, etc.) in
the given settlement.
We discussed the most important elements of the survey during a
preliminary meeting with the examined persons. We assured total
anonymity, informing them about the scientific character of the
survey, and establishing the time schedule for the survey.
Accordingly, we conducted the survey with the group of four. First, we
completed the survey with the 4 local opinion leaders, and then with
the people close to him/her in a group of 4+4. The survey was carried
out from Friday afternoon to Saturday evening. The examination of a
group of four lasted usually 6-7 hours.
The EWS survey was completed on 3 levels:
1. Calm period
We examined the local opinion leaders in a a so-called calm condition.
They had to fill out the questionnaires prepared by us.
Then we carried out a basic medical examination. After this, the
exploration (revealing discussion) followed. At the end we conducted
the Rorschach test, as well as the modified frustration test (PFT),
the two subtests of the Wechslet intelligence test, the empathy test
and the sociometry net test.
2. Frustration period
In this phase the local opinion leaders had to read some newspaper
articles with an ethnic character and sociological reports about the
state of society.
3. Repetition period
After the frustration phase we repeated the medical examination, the
modified frustration test, the two subtests of the Wechsler
intelligence tests, as well as the empathy test.
2000
- continuation of one project – Conflict Resolution Training
- preparation of the Roma project
On October 13th we held the conference on the long term Roma project.
In total there were 65 participants on the conference, 13 MP’s, 15
people, mainly general directors from certain government offices, and
ambassadors or their representatives. In addition, all 21 members of
the Slovak consortium participated in this conference. All
participants were given general information on the project during the
plenary session. The following persons should be recognized for their
contribution to the project. Anna Koptova represented the Roma
foundation and Michal Vasecka of the IVO foundation introduced the
results of the latest research, which will be used during this
project. Ingrid Baumannova from the NOS foundation talked about
affirmative action, and Peter Huncik chairman of the Sandor Marai
Foundation introduced the complex plan and the connection between
different parts of the project including the structure of the training
and the way the graduated Roma assistants would start their employment
in their communities.
The conference was divided into a legislative and regional-educational
section as follows:
- Legislative section – This section was composed of discussion about
juristic problems in great detail, including affirmative action and
its possible forms in Slovakia. Relevant issues such as how the
majority of people would deal with it, and what kind of public
relations would be necessary to get the majority of people to
understand its positive influence on society were also discussed in
great detail.
- Regional-educational section – This section was broken down into two
major topics, the training structure and regional problems.
The issues below were the main points of the discussion.
- the participation of the Roma in the early phase of the training.
- the participation of the present Roma intellectual class in the
training.
- the way the Roma would be chosen to participate in the training,
- and the solution to ensure the situation of the graduated Roma
assistants in their society.
In addition, the main points of the conclusion the conference arrived
at are listed below:
- the participants of the conference agreed that the Roma issue (their
social, educational, financial and health care problems) could be
solved by implementing this complex and long-term program. It is
strongly believed that this program introduced by our consortium can
be used to solve the many problems of the Roma people and ultimately
the whole society.
- Vice President Bela Bugar (MP) said, not officially of course, that
they were waiting for the concrete version of how affirmative action
would be implemented in Slovakia. They seem willing to do everything
to support the project.
- In the name of the consortium, Mr. Peter Huncik introduced the
modified version of the project.
- The new, modified version of the project titled Equal chance will
start in the four months of the year 2001 with research. The detailed
version of the program is attached. The Research program is led by
the IVO foundation.
- (Director: Gregorij Meseznikov).
1. The foundation NOS will work out the Slovak Affirmative Action
program for the consortium. They will also carry out comparative
research and meet with various MP’s.
2. (Director: Robert Vlasic).
3. Anna Koptova and V. Koleno who are the representatives of the Roma
foundations will start to select those settlements in East and Middle
Slovakia, where the pilot version of the project will first begin.
4. The Sandor Marai Foundation will work out the pilot version of the
training, which will start in April-May 2001 with one group of 15
members in each category. During this 300 hour long training program
the SMF will collect data to examine the success and offer suggestions
to improve the program. The final version of the program will be put
together according to this data.
(Director: Huncik Peter)
The members of the consortium agreed to work out a strategy for the
media to lobby in favour of affirmative action. The consortium also
agreed to have an open structure so that Roma, non-Roma juristic
individuals and institutions could join so that the consortium can
start fundraising.
The original and modified version of the training is stated below.
Original version
According to the original idea, the Roma training would start in May
2001 in the following areas: health care, education, social problems,
cooperation with the Church, police staff, local self-government,
house management, journalism, training of young political leaders,
trainings in different professions, for example, mason, carpenter,
electrician. In total 5000 Roma assistants would be trained in the
next two and a half years. A 300-hour intensive training program will
take place in groups of 15 people, and will be led by two trainers
during weekends in two–week intervals. The first two weeks would be
the same for each group, and the participants would get acquainted
with the basics of communication, self-knowledge, assertiveness and
conflict-resolution methods. During the other 260 hours they would get
acquainted with the basics of each category under the leadership of
the two training specialists. At the end of the training all the
participants would complete written and oral examination. After
successfully passing the examination, the participant would receive a
certificate and the title "Assistant" in their individual areas of
work.
While the training is going on, the Slovak Parliament will pass the
Bill which will allow the assistants to become paid workers by the
State. The Bill will also state, that the graduated Roma will work in
their individual villages of origin, while being paid by the state.
Modified version
Unlike in the original plan, a pilot-training will start in each (14)
categories with a group of 15 people in April – May 2001. The
consortium will start working with 210 participants, there will not be
any other groups till December 2001.
After training these 210 people, the consortium will make an exact
evaluation, to improve the program. The main points of evaluation are:
- the experiences about the selection of the people
- how did the training go
- what changes were important
- how did participants deal with pressure
- what are the experiences about the exams – expected and real
performance
- how did the Roma communities deal with the new assistants –
problems, conflicts
- how did the new assistants do their work
It is planned that these 210 people will start their work in January
2002, in time for the Slovak parliament is to pass the new Bill, and
provide money to the new assistants.
The consortium plans to study the assistants work for approximately
6-8 months, and record and study the reactions of the society. The
results will be analyzed and the program will be refined according to
the data, resulting in the final polished version of the training
program for the other 4800 Roma participants. This training is
scheduled to start in the fall of 2002.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE ORIGINAL PROJECT
The project has four basic parts:
-research
-legislative preparation
-training
-application in practice
1. Research
In the course of solving the research task of the project, a
sociological research will be realized on a model representative for
the whole population in the Slovak Republic, as well as on a model
representative for the Roma minority (the number of respondents
1.200-1.500).
The research will be focused on the following basic questions:
How does the majority population perceive the contemporaneous state
and the perspectives of coexistence with the Romas?
How does the Roma population percieve the contemporaneous state and
the perspectives of coexistence with the majority population?
In the course of the research, the following problematic range will be
examined:
- social distance from the Romas
- self-identification of the Romas
- manifestation of the majority population´s coexistence with the
Roma minority (forms and intensity of the contacts and their
perception as contribution respectively menace)
- valuation of the relationships between the majority and the minority
- preferment of the concrete forms of the relationships (mutual
cohabiting, assimilation, segregation, discrimination, emigration),
- expecting of alternation in the position of the Roma minority in the
relationships between the majority and the minority
- the intensity of emigration between the Romas
- social-cultural characteristics of the Roma population (opinions on
the present-day questions of the social events).
On the basis of the gained results, a definite structure of the
trainings and also of the individual training groups will be
elaborated.
2. Legislative preparation
The term "affirmative action" and its application are quite well known
for detailed description. A lot of studies exist, which deal with, and
analyze the positives and the negatives of this activity. However,
there exists a mutual agreement, that exactly this method is an
effective help in equalizing the chances to persons, respectively to
groups of people who, for any reason, got into a disadvantageous
position towards the majority.
The Constitution of the Slovak Republic (in Article 34), and many
international documents anchor the possibility of legislative
regulation, for the purpose of equalizing of the possibilities between
a minority and the majority society. In the meaning of Article 4 of
the European Council Framework-agreement for the protection of the
minorities, the parties pledge to accept "appropriate arrangements
with the aim of supporting the full and effective equality between
persons belonging to a minority and persons of the majority, in all
areas of agricultural, social, political and cultural life." Moreover,
these arrangements "will not be considered as an act of
discrimination".
The contents of these arrangements serving for the equalization of
possibilities differs in many countries, according to, what political
and social support have had the legislative arrangements at the time
of their introducing in that country. The authors of the project do
not consider the establishment of the quotas as a suitable system, but
the accepting of legislative arrangements which are in the interest of
the majority and, which enable an effective access and joining of the
minorities to the social processes.
3. Trainings
It is planned to realize 300-hour intensive trainings in different
categories (Health Care, Education, Social Problems, Cooperation with
the Church, Police Staff, Local Self-Government, House Management,
Journalism, Training of Young Political Leaders, Trainings in
different professions, for example, mason, carpenter, electrician).
The trainings will take place in groups of 15 people, and will be
carried out by two trainers during weekends in two–week intervals.
The first two weeks will be the same for each group, and the
participants will get acquainted with the basics of communication,
self-knowledge, assertiveness and conflict-solving techniques. During
the other 260 hours they will get acquainted with the basics of each
category alike under the leadership of two specialists.
At the end of the trainings all the participants will take written and
oral examination. After successfully passing the examination, the
participant will receive a certificate and the title "Assistant".
The validity of the certificate will have a serious condition, which
will be written in detail during the presentation of the project. The
participants will be chosen to the categories on the basis of an
examination, where they can get through the mutual recommendation of
the Consortium and the local Roma leaders.
The number of planned trainings is 5.000 citizens, which is
approximately 1 percent of the Roma population. In the introductory
phase, 150-170 participants will be trained.
4. Application in practice
After successful examination, the training-graduates will receive
their certificates and they would return to the localities they had
been delegated from. There they would work according to the previously
stated schedule. Their fundamental activity can be divided into three
areas:
- every-day work amongst the Romas under the leadership of an expert
(for example an assistant under the leadership of a district doctor),
- they continue in the training activity amongst the Romas,
- they take part on the solutions of the local problems and conflicts.
The aim of this letter is to inform your organization about our former
and present activities, so that we might be able to work together in
the future if possible.
Sincerely,
Peter Huncik M.D.
Director of the Sandor Marai Foundation
Márai Sándor Alapítvány
Nadácia Sándora Máraiho
Address: Sandor Marai Foundation
Márai Sándor Alapítvány
Nadácia Sándora Máraiho
Alzbetinske Nam. 1203
92901 Dunajska Streda
Slovakia
Tel.: +421 709 5517268
Tel/Fax.: +421 709 5517269
E-mail: [email protected]
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